Gliding through the past and the Present, and the bridge that is Ono.

He jumps. He transitions in and out of the present time. His narrative includes what one might interpret as flashbacks about his childhood and even pre-war life. His narrative or memory is broken, but I don’t think it is broken accidently. For reasons that obviously help the author propel the story, the memory of Ono is made up of the present time in his re-built home and rundown marketplace as well as the past in his teaching days and a very lively and cultured town.

Ono seems to talk about and explain things only partially. He doesn’t give out the entire account of a situation or a person only brief excerpts about them. For example he lets on knowing more about why his daughter Setsuko and his son-in-law Suichi have such different opinions about the war and even his other daughter’s marriage arrangements. But he only explains that they live far away and live differently than he does. It isn’t until pgs. 56 through 61 where he finally explains that Suichi was part of the war and so holds resentment about the way it was handled. It also isn’t until later that Ono reveals he might know why his prospective son-in-law and his family suddenly pulled out of negotiations to his daughter’s marriage, Noriko.

Now that manner of explaining things also has a lot to do about the way the narrative develops the story. Instead of telling you the entire piece about this part of his life Ono has you reflect on what he thinks about the situation at the moment. He then doesn’t shine any more light on the situation until further down the road when another question might intersect with the previous thought. That type for “forgetfulness” can really only say one thing, he doesn’t want to remember the rest of that story because it might have to do with him directly.

If Ono was once highly respected teacher and artist and also a very prominent member of the community for his luxurious home why is it now he wanders around almost alone at times. Deserted by those who used to sit with him every week at bar. It seems his daughters are the only ones who visit him and his peculiar former pupil Shintaro is the only one he sees outside his home, or at least the way he says it “enjoying the trivialities” between Shintaro and Mrs. Kawakami. The thing is I think Ono likes spending time with Shintaro because Shintaro doesn’t ask questions or bring up touchy subjects about Ono. He simply just exists around his former “Sensei” and basks him with his praise and respect.

Ono enjoys the respect given to him by Shintaro and although it doesn’t seem he lets it go to his head I think he just appreciates not being questioned by him either.

If there is one thing Ono’s narrative does a good job reflecting in real-time narratives its evasiveness. Ono has control over the story meaning he will tell the reader what he wants to tell them and when. He seems to be building himself up as an easily likable and striving person who overcame difficulties with his father after choosing a different career. He also doesn’t go into detail about possibly scaring off a suitor for his daughter or possibly even having a direct involvement in his son’s death in Manchuria.

It’s too early to tell exactly what everything means, I just think he knows more than he lets on or he is part of what he doesn’t want to talk about.